Healthy Christmas Recipes Part 2

Today is part two of our healthy Christmas recipes' collection with one side and one dessert: 

Green Bean Casserole
 

Ingredients: 1 pound fresh green beans, 8 oz chopped mushrooms, 5 strips of turkey bacon, 1 cup thinly sliced yellow onions, ½ cup finely chopped shallots, 3 cloves minced garlic, ½ cup almond meal, 1.5 cups unsweetened almond milk, 3 tsp Celtic Sea Salt, 2 tsp cracked black pepper, 2 tbsp. organic extra virgin olive oil.

Procedure: Preheat oven to 350F. Put a large pot of water and salt on high heat and bring to a boil. Line a baking Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Aluminum foil is an acceptable substitute. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on the thinly sliced yellow onions and sprinkle with 1 tsp sea salt. Spread the onions out on the baking sheet evenly. Bake for 30 minutes at 350F, removing from the oven and stirring/flipping every 10 minutes. Roughly chop the turkey bacon and add to a sauté pan on high heat. Lightly crisp the turkey bacon then add the chopped shallots. After a few minutes, add the mushrooms and continue to stir on medium/high heat. Cut the green beans into half and add to the water when it starts boiling.

Boil for 5 minutes then remove from the water and place in a bowl. When the mushrooms have cooked down and have a golden color, remove the entire bacon/shallot/garlic/mushroom mixture and place aside in a separate bowl. With the heat on medium/low, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 cup of the almond milk and stir with a metal whisk. Add half of the almond meal and whisk until it dissolves. Carefully add the rest of the almond milk and almond meal, whisking the mixture together over a medium simmer. Add 2 tsp sea salt and the 2 tsp pepper. Whisk until the gravy thickens slightly to the texture of heavy cream. Reduce the heat and add the bacon/mushroom mixture then stir. Add the green beans to the sauté pan and stir. Pour the entire mixture into a medium-sized casserole dish. Cover and bake at 350F for 15 minutes. Remove lid and sprinkle the dried onions evenly on top. Place back in oven for 5 minutes at 350F uncovered.

Orange Infused Cake

Ingredients:

Olive oil cooking spray, 2 tbsp. organic coconut oil, melted, 2 tbsp. smooth almond butter, ½ cup brown rice syrup, ¼ cup prune puree (or all natural prune baby food), 2/3 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed, 2 tbsp. flaxseeds, finely ground, 2 tsp real vanilla extract, ½ tsp balsamic vinegar, 4 tsp orange zest, freshly grated, 1 cup plus 2 tbsp. light spelt flour (or almond or coconut flour), scooped and then leveled, ¾ tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp Celtic sea salt, Orange zest for garnish, grated (optional), blanched almonds for garnish (optional)

Procedure:

Cake Instructions preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line the bottom of an 8 ½” spring form pan with parchment paper; then mist paper and sides of pan with cooking spray. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, almond butter and brown rice syrup until smooth.  Add prune puree, juice, flaxseeds, vanilla, vinegar and zest, and mix well.  Set aside, while you measure dry ingredients for at least 2 minutes.  In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Stir briefly to combine.  Pour wet mixture over dry one and stir well to blend.  Pour into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30 minutes; then rotate pan 180 degrees to ensure even baking and continue to bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until cake springs back when pressed lightly in center.  Remove from oven and allow to cool at room temperature while you prepare glaze.  Glaze: ¾ cup orange juice, freshly squeezed

2 tbsps. brown rice syrup.  Combine juice and brown rice syrup in a small, heavy pot.  Bring to boil over medium-high heat, then lower heat to simmer.  Allow mixture to bubble gently, stirring occasionally, until it reduces to about 1/3 cup, about 20 minutes.  The mixture will turn deep golden and should coat a spoon.  Assembly: remove sides of pan from cooled cake.  Slide a knife or metal spatula between parchment and bottom of the pan, then slip a serving plate into the gap and slide the cake onto it.  Pour warm glaze over top of cake and gently spread towards the sides, allowing any excess to drop over the edges.  Garnish with additional zest and almonds, if desired.

About: The Drugless Doctors is a chiropractic and nutrition-based wellness practice based in Westlake and Elyria, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland.